Justice News

Final Four Ordered to Prison in 10-Defendant Cocaine Conspiracy

HOUSTON - The remaining defendants charged in a Dickinson area cocaine conspiracy have all been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The 10 were charged in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy that had been moving cocaine since 2014.

Arturo Cruz, 35, of Dickinson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms or more of cocaine, while Patrick Frederick, 49, of Galveston, Dionisio Gonzalez, 56, of Bacliff, and Carlos Cantu, 36, of Dickinson, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore sentenced Cruz, who was responsible for distributing more than 50 kilograms of cocaine, to 130 months in federal prison. Frederick received a 120-month-term of imprisonment, while Gonzales and Cantu received respective terms of 77 and 87 months. The court found Cruz to be a leader within the conspiracy so his prison term included upward adjustments or increases in his calculated sentencing guideline range.

Cruz also forfeited his interests in real estate located in Dickinson valued in excess of $150,000.

The other six charged and convicted in the case included Arturo Cruz’s bother, Amado Cruz, 27, of Dickinson, along with Guadalupe Ochoa, 30, of Houston, Matt Olguin, 28, Reid Wilder 33, and Sidney Hobbs, 47, all of Dickinson. The previously received sentences ranging from 72-121 months in federal prison.

All were part of a multi-state drug trafficking organization that had existed since 2013. The drug trafficking organization, based out of the Dickenson area, had cocaine couriered in from Houston where it was then either sent out of state or redistributed to the surrounding areas.

The FBI led the nearly three-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Dickinson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Jocher prosecuted the case.